Car-coupling



UNITEDs STATES e PATENT` GFFICE.

, enonennytonnsrom on'sr. THOMAS, Missounr.

vCAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters yPatent No. 604,864, dated May 31,1898. Application nea october 27,1897. sentira. 656,486. (Numan.)

vice of this description which will operate automatically in couplingcars together and` which will permit their` uncoupling without thenecessity of passing between the cars; and a further object of myinvention isr to provide for the coupling of cars in the ordinary mannerby a link and pin when it is not ldesirable to use the automatic featureof my improvement.

With these ends in view this invention consists in the detailsofconstruction and combinationA of elements hereinafter set forth and thenspecifically designated by the claim.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this inventionappertains may understand how to make and use the same, the constructionand operation will now bey described in detail, referring to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this" specification, in which-Figure 1 is a plan view of oneV draw-head l and a section of anotherembodying my in1- provement and being coupled together, and Fig. 2 acentral longitudinal section thereof.

In carrying out my invention as here embodied the draw-head A, which isformed upon the draw-bar B,'has therein a cavity C for the reception ofthe link D, and this link, as clearly shown in Eig. l, has one endthereof enlarged, as indicated at D', thus giving the link the generalshape of afbuttonhole, for

Athe purpose hereinafter'setforth. A coupling-lever E is pivoted atyFvin the upper portion of the head and'is adapted to swing within the slotG, sol that when the smallI end of the link D is passed in the cavityCit will force back this leveruntil the lowerend of the latter ridesover the inner end of the link, when it will drop within said link, andthus prevent the withdrawal thereof. 'Ihe lever has a horizontal memberH formed therewith, in which is a hole I for the attachment of a chainor cord or for the insertion of a rod in order that the lever may beswung upon its pivot-point Without a person passing between the cars,and when so swung from its vertical position the lever will bedisengaged from the link, therebypermittin g the latter to be Withdrawnfrom its cavity in uncoupling.

The mouth of the cavity C is enlarged, as indicated at J, so as to'Vreceive the enlarged end D of the link and yet not permit it to passwithin the cavity sufficient to engage with the coupling-lever E, andthe object of this is to permit the link to be held in the mouth of thecavity by an ordinary couplingpin K, -which is passed throughthe holesL, formed for that purpose, and when this has been` accomplished it willbe `seen that the backing of two cars together will cause the small endof the link to pass within the cavity C of the opposite draw-head and inso doing force back the coupling-lever'E of said head -until the latterengages with the link, after whichv it will return to its normalposition and prevent the withdrawal ofl the link from the draw-head.

Should it become desirable at any time to couple a car having anordinary draw-head to one of my improved couplers Without the use ofvthe automatic feature in the latter, this may be accomplished by usingan ordinary coupling-link and passing the coupling-pin K through theholes L after the link has been placed in position, and to provide forthe different heights of couplers I form a second cavity M in a higherhorizontal plane than the cavity C; and it is obvious that my` improvedcoupler may be applied to an ordinary draw-head by the use of the linkD, since the large end D of said link would then be secured withineither of the cavities, While the small end was utilized for engagementwith the ordinary draw-head.

One of the principal advantages of my improvement is its exceedingsimplicity and the fact that it maybe used either as an ordinary coupleror otherwise and that it provides for the operation in connection withcouplers of various heights.

The chain I, by which the coupling-lever is manipulated, may be passedupwardrand attached to a hook or other device at the top of the car, sothat a person may uncouple the IOO car Without descending therefrom, andthis is of considerable importance in making up trains.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and usefulis In a car-coupler, two draw-heads, each having a longitudinal verticalslot formed at one end thereof, the walls of said slot havinglongitudinal Ways formed therein near the bottom of the slot, the outerends of said Ways being deepened to form a ared mouth, bars extendingacross the forward end of the slot, one above the other, said barshaving registering holes therethrough, a swing-pin pivoted in said slot,a coupling-link enlarged and rounded at one end to fit against the Wallsof the flared mouth and be limited in its backward movement thereby, theother end being adapted to pass into the Ways of the other draw-head andengage the swing-pin, and a coupling pin adapted to pass through theopenings in said bars, as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

GEORGE B. JOHNSTON.

Witnesses:

GEORGE W. SCHELL, ANTON IIoPEN.

